1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integral arrow rest and overdraw assembly for use with a compound bow.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the sport of archery, compound bows exist which, unlike standard long bows, comprise a plurality of pulleys. The pulleys cooperate with tuning cables and the bowstring to enable an archer to hold the bowstring in a drawn position with ease.
Compound bows can be used with various types of arrows. Arrows typically have three or more feathers or vanes, which are commonly known as fletching. The fletching may extend radially outward perpendicularly from the arrow shaft. Alternatively, the fletching may extend radially outward from the shaft while being helixed slightly to induce spin on the arrow and thereby facilitate arrow flight.
Whether a compound bow is used for target shooting or hunting, it is desirable that the flight of the arrow shot from the bow be as accurate as possible. A major factor affecting the accuracy of the arrow flight is the arrow rest upon which the arrow lies when loaded into the bow. That is, the fletching of the arrow often strikes the arrow rest when the arrow is released from the bow, thus impeding the smooth flight of the arrow.
Numerous arrow rests exist, each being designed to minimize contact with the arrow fletching and/or to compensate for the deflection of the arrow as it passes over the arrow rest. Often, an archer will choose arrows having a fletching configuration best suited for use with a particular type of arrow rest or vice versa.
In addition to selecting an appropriate arrow rest and arrows, an archer often may wish to use an arrow that is shorter than the standard arrow. These shorter arrows are lighter, stiffer and fly farther and faster with a flatter trajectory than a standard arrow. However, when a compound bow loaded with a short arrow is drawn back to full extension, the reduced length of the arrow shaft causes the front end (arrow end) of the short arrow to be pulled off of the arrow rest. Hence, the arrow will fall away from the bow thus increasing the risk of injury to the archer.
To use such shorter arrows with a compound bow, an apparatus known as an overdraw assembly is available which attaches to the handle portion of the compound bow and extends rearwardly toward the archer, thus positioning the arrow rest attached thereto at a location behind the handle of the bow. For example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,988, an overdraw assembly extends rearwardly from the shaft of the compound bow and has the arrow rest mounted thereto. That is, instead of the arrow rest being mounted directly to the handle portion of the frame of the compound bow, the overdraw assembly positions the arrow rest several inches behind the frame. Hence, a shorter arrow can be loaded in the bow and the bowstring can be drawn back without pulling the front of the arrow off of the arrow rest.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,988, and, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,865,007, 4,865,008, it is desirable to have an overdraw assembly having an arrow rest that moves out of the path of the arrow when the arrow is released. As described in these patents, the fletching strikes the arrow rest and moves the arrow rest out of position, thus allowing only minimal contact between the arrow rest and fletching and providing a more accurate trajectory. Furthermore, damage to the fletching is minimized. Nevertheless, even though such arrow rest devices mounted on overdraw assemblies are intended to provide a flatter trajectory, the resistance caused by the fletching striking these arrow rests still adversely affects the path of the arrow and also damages the fletching, although to a lesser degree.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,014 teaches an arrow rest assembly that automatically, upon release of the bowstring, springs out of the path of the arrow. In this arrangement, it is not necessary for the fletching of the arrow to strike the arrow rest to move the arrow rest out of the path of the arrow. However, such an assembly is incorporated into the handle portion of the frame of the compound bow and does not provide an overdraw feature. Hence, it was desirable to develop an arrow rest which is mounted to an overdraw assembly and automatically falls out of the arrow's path without interfering with the fletching of the arrow.
Such an apparatus is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,514. In that apparatus, the arrow rest and overdraw assembly is mounted to the frame of the compound bow and comprises a special hollow rod extending rearwardly from the frame. A spring-loaded release mechanism is attached to the hollow rod at an end of the rod closest to the frame. A cable slide is disposed about the hollow rod and attached to the tension cables (tuning cables) of the bow to slidably move along the rod when the bow is drawn back. This action allows the spring loaded mechanism to lift the arrow rest and consequently lift the arrow to a position for firing.
When the arrow is released, the cable slide moves forward along the rod and cooperates with a pin in the rod to forcibly compress the spring loaded mechanism and thereby move the arrow rest downward and away from the path of the arrow. Although such an apparatus achieves the object of providing an overdraw assembly having an arrow rest that automatically moves away from the path of the arrow so as to not interfere with the fletching, such a complicated apparatus has many inter-engaging and moving parts which are costly and highly susceptible to wear and tear. Furthermore, because a special hollow cable guard is needed, the apparatus is not adaptable with a standard cable guard on a standard compound bow.
In addition, the noise caused by the spring activated mechanism can scare a game animal such as a deer and consequently result in the hunter missing his intended target. These disadvantages thus render such an apparatus impractical and present a need for an overdraw and arrow rest assembly which is simple, quiet, inexpensive and less susceptible to wear and tear.